Fifth Russian plane evacuates 150 Russians, citizens of other states from Yemen

CHKALOVSKY AIRPORT /Moscow Region/, April 6. /TASS/. A Russian plane, the fifth one in the past several days, with Russians and citizens of other countries forced to leave war-torn Yemen has landed at the Chkalovsky Airport outside Moscow.

There were 150 people onboard the Ilyushin-62 plane, including five babies under two years of age and 29 children aged from three to 14. These people are citizens of Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, France, Yemen, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Iraq.

It took about eight hours to reach Moscow from Yemen’s capital city Sana’a. The Il-62 made a stopover in Cairo to refuel.

After medical examination, passport and customs procedures they will be taken by buses to the Russian foreign ministry’s evacuation centre, where they will meet with diplomats from their countries. Those who plan to reach other destinations will be taken to Moscow’s airports.

Since August 2014, Yemen has been suffering from a severe political and security crisis. In late January, the armed groups of Ansar Allah /Houthi rebels/ forced the president and the government to announce resignation.

After the rebels took control of the country’s capital and several northern provinces, Yemen’s President Abd Rabuh Mansur Hadi fled the country. They also announced the adoption of the so-called constitutional declaration.

Overnight to March 26, Saudi Arabia’s air force supported by aviation of Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates launched an operation Decisive Storm against the Houthis . Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan and Sudan joined the Saudi-led coalition.